NR #1995-013: For Immediate Release
Tie Vote Kills Overture Comparing Those Leaving CRC Over Women in Office to
Circumcision Party, Galatian Judaizers
* Second Overture Passes Urging Immediate Ratification of Women in Office
by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer
Reformed Believers Press Service
ORLAND PARK, Ill. (January 18, 1995) RBPS - Following extensive debate, on
January 17 Classis Chicago South of the Christian Reformed denomination
rejected an eleven page overture from Hope CRC in Oak Forest asking synod to
allow all churches in the denomination to have women ministers and elders
beginning immediately, and instead adopted a one page overture from Hessel
Park CRC in Champaign which also called for immediate ratification of women
in office.
The Christian Reformed denomination has normally understood that changes in
the church order must be ratified by a subsequent synod, but a number of
recent overtures have argued that synod can forego the two year process and
ratify the original 1990 proposal which was voted down in 1992, resurrected
in 1993, and voted down again in 1994. Each overture cites different and
often highly technical grounds, but most argue that since synod has been
debating women in office for over 25 years, it has had sufficient time to
debate the issue and its church order revisions on women in office therefore
do not require ratification by a subsequent synod.
Length was by no means the only difference between the Hope and Hessel Park
overtures. The grounds for the Hessel Park overture repeated familiar
arguments that "Synod 1994 inappropriately imposed on all the churches an
official exegesis of several biblical passages as the centerpiece of its
decision not to ratify the proposed Church Order change," advocating local
option on the grounds that allowing but not requiring women elders did not
bind the conscience of either side of the debate.
The Hope overture, however, supported its ratification request with grounds
using much stronger language. When originally submitted to the September
meeting of Classis Chicago South, the overture said the principles of
Scripture used to oppose women in office were "proof-text" methods arising
out of Arminianism and fundamentalism rather than out of the Reformed faith.
According to the original overture, giving in on the women in office issue
would involve acquiescing to Arminian proof-texting methods of Scripture
interpretation, resisting grace, limiting responsiveness, relying on our own
righteousness, suppressing the mind of Christ, and using the same methods of
Scripture interpretation used by the Judaizing heretics of the early church
to require circumcision of new converts.
"I have a lot of respect for people who differ with me on this issue, but
when someone is willing to split the church over this issue, that in my view
is very similar to circumcision," said Dr. Marvin Hoogland, chairman of a
Hope CRC committee on women in office, in a subsequent interview.
"Those churches which separate from the Christian Reformed Church because of
women in office, that is circumcision," said Hoogland. "When we take
something limited and finite and turn it into an absolute, that's what we
call idolatry. Those people who are for women in office and those people who
are opposed to women in office but see the possibility of living together
have more faith in common than those people on either extreme who say we
can't live with each other. The best we do is polluted with sin and only a
small beginning of obedience to the Scriptures."
Much of the strongest language was removed by an advisory committee which
was appointed by classis in September and reported back to the January
meeting. According to the committee majority, the overture was revised for
reasons of clarity and "to eliminate the harsh edge found in some statements,
thereby showing a pastoral regard for all members of the CRC regardless of
their position on this issue." The comparison between circumcision and
opposition to women in office remained, however - and prompted more than a
few protests in later debate.
A minority report submitted by classical stated clerk Rev. Henry Vanden
Heuvel advised classis not to accede to the overture at all, arguing that the
view of Scripture, grace, righteousness, and mind of Christ cited in the Hope
CRC overture were wrong.
"It suggests that an appeal to specific statements and commands in Scripture
is mere proof-texting and works righteousness," said Vanden Heuvel's minority
report. "However, the Bible is full of passages that give us instructions in
what we must do, and we should follow those instructions; not, of course, in
order to earn God's favor, but in order to honor and obey our Heavenly Father
who has already accepted us in grace."
Hoogland opened the discussion at classis with an extensive summary of the
intent behind the overture. "We are convinced out of 25 years of study on
women in office that the Word of God compels us to do this; this is what the
grace of God means to us," said Hoogland, who noted that Hope CRC was only
one of "fifteen to twenty" CRC congregations which have ordained women
elders.
"Is the Christian Reformed Church's understanding of obedience to God and
the gospel of grace big enough for us and all these churches, or is your view
too narrow to include us?" asked Hoogland. "We're not going to convince you,
you're not going to convince us. We want to be part of the covenant union of
the Christian Reformed Church. Do you want us?"
Hoogland also said the Hope CRC overture had been misunderstood. According
to Hoogland, Hope CRC never meant to say that anyone who opposes women in
office is Arminian, that the Bible doesn't give answers on how to live, or
that "somehow Hope Church just wants some vague principles and does not want
the very words of Scripture."
Hoogland's speech was strongly opposed by Rev. David Feddes, well-known to
many CRC members through his role as Minister of English Broadcasting and
Listener Contact for the CRC's official radio and TV ministry, the Back to
God Hour.
"Maybe the strategy employed is that the best defense is a good offense,"
said Feddes.
"If the intent is not to label those who oppose women in office as
proof-texters, legalists, members of the circumcision party, what is?" asked
Feddes, who reminded delegates that they needed to make their decision based
on the words of the overture rather than Hoogland's oral explanation of the
intent behind the words. "I could endorse most of Marv's comments from this
podium, but I think the overture is very bad," said Feddes.
Feddes was not the only speaker to remind delegates to address the actual
words of the overture. On several occasions, Hoogland reminded delegates that
some items they were criticizing had been removed from the overture by the
advisory committee.
However, the actual words of the overture also came in for criticism.
"Because one uses specific texts does not mean one is unreformed," said Rev.
Al Machiela, pastor of Immanuel CRC in Burbank. "Church office and
circumcision are not in the same ball park; if you honestly believe it is a
central issue, please demand that everyone comply. If not, stop making a big
deal about it."
Rev. Tony Van Zanten, pastor of Roseland Christian Ministries Center in
Chicago, responded by emphasizing the importance of the overture's parallel
between circumcision and women in office. Van Zanten said the Christian
Reformed synod was in a similar position to that faced by the early church in
Acts 15 when deciding whether new Christian converts must be circumcised
according to Old Testament mandates. "In spite of those Scripture texts, the
church came to see, guided by the Spirit, that circumcision was no longer
necessary and would in fact get in the way," said Van Zanten. "I saw this as
a biblically-based study of what burdens we want to place on people."
While many objections to the overture did not convince the delegates, Vanden
Heuvel said one sentence would make the classis "become a laughingstock at
synod" and persuaded classis to amend it.
Vanden Heuvel took strong exception to a statement in the overture that "we
must remember that what is recorded in Acts 15 is not simply a dictum given
by one Christian to another (despite the exalted position of that person) as
with Paul to Timothy."
"What the authors of this statement are saying is that First Timothy is just
one Christian writing to another Christian. This is the Word of God. We
believe that, I think," said Vanden Heuvel.
"Don't these people in Chicago South believe in the inspiration of
Scripture? I don't want this going to synod over my signature," said Vanden
Heuvel. "When we've come to the point where we are saying Paul writes to
Timothy just as one Christian talking to another, then I'm not in the same
church as you people."
The advisory committee majority, while affirming belief in the inspiration
of Scripture and insisting that Vanden Heuvel had misunderstood their intent,
agreed to allow the deletion of the offending part of the sentence.
After some additional debate, the classical vote on the revised Hope CRC
overture resulted in a tie. Vanden Heuvel read classical rules of procedure
stating that in the case of a tie the chairman may break the tie by voting,
but if he chooses not to vote the motion under discussion fails. As chairman
of classis, Rev. Gary Hutt chose not to vote.
Later in the day, Rev. Jack Reiffer presented Hessel Park CRC's overture
that Synod 1995 ratify the women in office decision originally proposed in
1990. "We really make the same effort as the Hope overture, my understanding
is that the Hope overture tried to meet the requirement of new grounds by
going in a different direction," said Reiffer.
Following a brief debate, the Hessel Park overture passed by a 19 to 11
vote.
Cross-References to Related RBPS Articles:
#1994-035 Christian Reformed Synod Rejects Women in Office on Biblical
Grounds
#1994-036 Two Hundred Women Take Over Synod Floor in Protest Against
Christian Reformed Denial of Women's Ordination; Synod Votes to "Urge"
Churches Not to Ordain Women Elders, Pastors
Contact List:
Rev. David Feddes, Minister of English Broadcasting and Listener Contact, The
Back to God Hour
6625 Maple Lane Dr., Tinley Park, IL 60477 * O: (708) 371-8700 * H: (708)
614-7276 * FAX: (708) 371-1415
Dr. Marvin Hoogland, Executive Director, Chicago Christian Counseling Center
14801 Sunset Ave., Oak Forest, IL 60452 * O: (708) 361-1935 * H: (708)
687-4769
Rev. Gary Hutt, Pastor, Park Lane CRC
3450 W. Maple Ave., Evergreen Park, IL 60642 * O: (708) 636-4585 * H: (708)
424-1570
Rev. Bill Lenters, Pastor, Hope CRC
6609 Courtney Dr., Oak Forest, IL 60452 * O: (708) 687-2095 * H: (708)
687-2530
Rev. Al Machiela, Pastor, Immanuel CRC
8302 S. Normandy, Burbank, IL 60459 * O: (708) 599-5335
Rev. Jack Reiffer, Pastor, Hessel Park CRC
910 S. Lynn St., Champaign, IL 61820 * O: (217) 356-3177 * H: (217)
459-6328
Rev. Henry Vanden Heuvel, Stated Clerk, Classis Chicago South
9401 S. 54th Ave., Oak Lawn, IL 60453 * H/O: (708) 422-1428
Rev. Tony Van Zanten, Pastor, Roseland Christian Ministries Center
9803 S. Prospect, Chicago, IL 60643 * O: (312) 264-5665 * H: (312) 881-3937
* FAX: (312) 264-9442
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